Union damns HP job cuts

The Unite union has damned HP for cutting close to a thousand jobs from its UK workforce.

The union said the loss of 934 jobs contradicted the government's recent claims that public sector job losses would be offset by gains in the private sector.

Unite predicted HP would cut another 1,000 UK jobs in the next financial as part of the 9,000 jobs it will cut worldwide.

Peter Skyte warned that HP was cutting back staffing levels to the bone, a situation likely to increase stress-related illness.

Skyte also noted that HP continues to employ nearly 2,000 temps and contractors out of its total UK workforce of 16,500.

An HP spokesman said: "HP is in consultation with the appropriate representative bodies within the UK regarding potential workforce changes that were first discussed with the HP European Works Council in November 2009 and have been part of an ongoing consultation process since then.

"The changes HP is proposing are part of the company’s ongoing review of its business that will ensure HP continues to grow in a globally competitive marketplace and deliver world class products and services to its customers."